Tissue dispensing package



Oct. 5, 1965 K. v. KRAKE TISSUE DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed March 8, 1963 Delaware Filed Mar. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 263,961 3 Claims. (U. 221-48) This invention relates to improvements in tissue dispensing cartons with particular reference to the type from which interleaved tissues are to be dispensed.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved tissue dispensing carton from which interleaved tissues may be dispensed, at the option of the user, either through a conventional top wall opening or alternately from open ends of a pair of tray-like members formed by partial severance of the carton along a transverse medial line of weakening to form half sections adapted to be folded in back-to-back relation.

A further object is to provide an improved tissue dispensing carton from which tissues may either be drawn through a conventional dispensing aperture, or which may easily be converted prior to use into a dual-pocket type of dispenser from which the tissues may be removed in substantially an unrestricted manner and regardless of variations in moisture induced bulk growth of the tissue contents prior to use.

A further object is to provide a carton easily converted into a pair of interconnected back-to-back tray like portions with a contained stack of interleaved facial tissues or the like arcuately bridged therebetween.

Other objects and advantages will become obvious to persons skilled in the art upon examination of the drawings and description, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which like parts are identified by the same reference numerals:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective a rectangular tissue carton incorporating the concepts herein taught.

FIG. 2 illustrates in perspective a carton embodying an alternate adaptation of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates the carton of FIG. 2, but without tissue contents, and shown broken apart in a medial plane across three walls thereof with the two resulting half sections hinged transversely of the remaining wall and disposed in back-to-back relation.

FIG. 4 shows the carton of FIG. 1 medially broken apart along the back and side Walls with the enclosed stack of interleaved tissues exposed through an area bridging the half portions.

FIG. 5 is a partial section along line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

Facial tissues of the type now in wide use throughout the world are commonly packaged in light weight cartons of cardboard or the like, having provided in one or more panels thereof either a clean cut or a perforation-defined dispensing opening. When the tissues are stacked without interleaving, a relatively wide opening is normally provided; but when stacked in an interleaved manner, narrower openings are employed to insure constriction of portions of both a leading and a trailing tissue. Such constriction is required to insure partial withdrawal of the trailing tissue as the leading tissue is dispensed. The most popular facial tissue has long been of the type wherein the individual panels are both interleave-d and lightly interbonded, one to the other. The bonds are broken during dispensing as constrictual forces are applied by the margins of the opening. Advantages of the present invention are obtained, regardless of whether the individual panels of the stack may or may not be interbonded.

The problem of bulk growth has long been of concern to tissue manufacturers, since the extent of growth is a function of absorbed moisture and reaches a maximum in high humidity areas. Manufacturers compensate for the anticipated normal bulk growth within a certain regional area of use by providing a certain amount of space between the top of the tissue stack and the top wall of the carton. However, the availability of rapid transportation results in tissues purchased within a low average humidity area being frequently transported to very high humidity areas with resultant substantial increase in bulk growth. Manufacturers have been reluctant to provide all cartons with a very substantial space between the top of the tissue stack and the top wall of the carton to insure proper dispensing in the relatively few areas of very high humidity since users are normally unaware of that purpose, and may conclude that the manufacturer is guilty of questionable merchandising practices.

Recent introduction of interleaved tissues in substantially compressed form permits the packaging of, for example, 400 sheets in a carton not much larger than that formerly employed for the packaging of 200 sheets. While the advantages obviously attend a substantial reduction in carton size and the product has substantial appeal to users, problems of bulk growth in high humidity areas have increased. For example, the expansion space normally provided in a carton containing a stack of non-compressed tissues is frequently inadequate to compensate for the same size stack of compressed tissues, which contains substantially more tissue sheets.

The present invention is specifically directed to a housed stack of tissues which may, if desired, be used in the normal manner, i.e., after removal of the perforationdefined panel to form an elongate slot-type opening. Alternately, and especially under high humidity conditions, the marginally perforated panel may be left intact and the carton half portions severed in a manner to per mit a quite different type of tissue extraction not seriously affected by bulk growth.

FIG. 1 shows a rectangular carton generically designated 10, the top wall 12 of which is provided with lines of weakening 14, preferable perforations, defining an elongate narrow panel to be removed in a known manner prior to use to form a dispensing opening. Openings of other configurations can be employed, if desired. Top wall 12 can, if desired, be provided with a clean cut dispensing opening, although it is preferred to employ a removable panel to exclude dust and foreign material prior to use. Carton 10 is also provided with a second line of weakening extending in a medial plane across the bottom Wall, not shown, and upwardly through the side walls. Such perforations in side wall 20 are shown at 16, and terminate marginally of the top wall 12.

FIG. 2 also shows a carton of rectangular shape, generically designated 20, including a top Wall 22 provided with an elongate panel marginally designed by perforations 24. As an alternate embodiment of the invention a continuous line of weakening 26 extends in the transverse medial plane across top wall 22 and downwardly through each side wall, one of which is shown at 30. The perforation line 26 terminates marginally of the bottom wall, not shown.

Carton 10, FIG. 1, contains a stack or clip of tissues shown only in FIG. 4, the sheets of which are interleaved, and may or may not be interbonded. Tissue sheets may be extracted in the normal manner by severance of the top wall panel marginally defined by perforations 14. The U shaped lines of perforations partially shown at 18 are of a type which do not result in weakening the carton to the extent that the half portions are apt to be accidentally severed during normal handling and use.

Under high humidity conditions, or if otherwise preferred by a user, carton It may be broken into tray-like half portions along line 18 and drawn into back-to-back relation as shown in FIG. 4, with the material of top wall 12 serving to hinge the resulting half portions along a transverse medial line. The carton half portions, identitied for convenience as A and B, are then folded, back-toback as in FIG. 4. The stack of interleaved tissues 32 is drawn into U configuration, with substantial end portions remaining housed in the respective tray-like half portions A and B. A substantial intermediate portion of stack 32 bridges carton portions A and B and rests along the fold line 34 between the two folded halfs of wall 12.

Tissue stack 32 as thus folded is under inherent tension, hence tends to spreads apart the tray-like portions A and B. To avoid spreading, a plate-like locking device 36, provided with a linear slot 38, is slipped down over the doubly folded half portions of wall 12 adjacent either exposed side of stack 12. Half portions of plate 36, an bifurcated by slot 38, are respectively received in each carton portion A and B between the carton walls and the sides of stack 32. Since production cartons are of somewhat greater width than the width of the tissue stack, device 36 may be thus inserted without subjecting stack 32 to transverse pressure.

With stack 32 subjected to extremely high moisture conditions resulting in substantial bulk growth and pressure engagement between the top and the bottom stack surfaces and the contiguous carton walls, it may be impossible individually to dispense tissues from a slot-type opening. In extreme instances the unitary removal of partial clip of or more tissues may be required to eliminate the pressure sufiiciently to insure satisfactory dispensing. If, however, carton 10 is transversely severed and portions A and B folded together as shown in FIG. 4 most of such pressure is relieved. Such pressure relief results in part from the resultant positioning of a portion of the stack above and in bridging relation to the carton half portions. Also, the side walls of the tray-like containers A and B are then relatively free to move outwardly of the lower stack portions to minimize the pressure. A user need only apply thumb and forefinger pressure to the exposed surface in the bridging area of FIG. 4 for satisfactory dispensing. Quite apart from the fact that the invention permits satisfactory tissue removal under extreme humidity conditions, some users prefer, in the absence of those conditions, to break the carton in half, since space requirements are thereby substantially reduced.

The carton of FIG. 2 may also be employed in the conventional manner or alternately may be severed into tray like portions as in FIG. 4. The FIG. 2 construction differs from that of FIG. 1 in that carton 22 is broken apart in a manner to retain a hinge between the resulting tray-like portions shown at C and D extending transversely of the back wall rather than across the front wall. Cartons of the type involved are frequently provided with an attractive design which covers the top, side, and end walls. The bottom wall may contain indicia such as suggested uses of the product or advertising copy. The carton portions A and B of FIG. 1, after severance and locking as shown in FIG. 4, may thus expose objectionable indicia on the side walls, Since they were initially half portions of the bottom wall. The construction of FIG. 2 results in the bottom wall indicia being hidden from view, since it is then positioned in back-to-back. relation, with the resulting tray portions remaining as attractive as were the original top side and end walls of the carton.

Locking device 36 may be included within the carton between the tissue stack and an inner wall thereof. The structure of FIG. 1 permits the locking device to be placed, during manufacture, lengthwise of one of the carton end portions with the upper margin thereof adjacent the plane of perforation lines 8. Device 36 thus lies below the tissue stack during conventional use of the carton in flat form, as in FIG. 1. In the carton is medially severed as in FIG. 4, the device is easily withdrawn from between the stack and what is then a side wall of the resulting twin tray package. Device 36 must, for easy access, be placed in a different position in cartons constructed as in FIG. 2, for example, in a corresponding carton position but between the top wall 22 and the top of the tissue stack, or alternately between one-half portion of a side wall and the side of the tissue stack. After severance of the carton into the configuration of FIG. 3 locking device 36, being then positioned either between a side wall or an end wall of the twin package is easily withdrawn and slipped into locking position. Various adaptations of the concepts herein taught are contemplated and may be employed without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A dispensing package of interleaved tissues comprismg:

(a) a generally rectangular carton;

(b) a stack of interleaved tissues disposed in said carton;

(c) said carton being provided in its vertical transverse medial plane with a single line of fracture extending in U-configuration substantially through two side walls and one adjoining wall of the carton to permit partial breaking of half portions of the carton and folding of the unbroken remaining wall thereof transversely in halves along a line coincident with said medial plane into back-to-back relation;

(d) one of the adjoining walls of the carton being provided with an optional manually removable panel defining a centrally disposed elongate, slot-type dispensing aperture;

(e) said stack of interleaved tissues being positioned within said carton for individual dispensing either from the unbroken carton through said aperture or alternately from an exposed arcuately folded portion of the stack resulting from medial carton severance and folding of said half portions in back-toback relation; and

(f) a bifurcated element of light-weight sheet stock loosely disposed within said carton between said stack and the adjoining wall having the line of fracture therein for removal upon carton severance into half portions to be slipped over said back-to-back wall portions and to be interposed between one side of the stack and the juxtaposed sidewalls with a por tion of said element extending into each of said carton portions for locking engagement thereof in an open position.

2. The package of claim 1 in which the elongate slottype dispensing aperture is disposed in the top wall of said carton.

3. The package of claim 1 in which the elongate slottype dispensing aperture is disposed in the bottom wall of said carton.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,048,395 12/12 Dinkler 20646 1,205,955 11/16 Adams 206-45.1l 1,657,942 1/28 Spaldo 20657 2,085,649 6/37 Gluck 206--57 2,152,079 3/39 Mott 22;951 2,794,586 6/57 Broderick 229-51 3,119,516 1/64 Donovan 20657 FOREIGN PATENTS 208,861 6/57 Australia.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

1. A DISPENSING PACKAGE OF INTERLEAVED TISSUES COMPRISING: (A) A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CARTON; (B) A STACK OF INTERLEAVED TISSUES DISPOSED IN SAID CARTON; (C) SAID CARTON BEING PROVIDED IN ITS VERTICAL TRANSVERSE MEDIA PLANE WITH A SINGLE LINE OF FRACTURE EXTENDING IN U-CONFIGURATION SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGH TWO SIDE WALLS AND ONE ADJOINING WALL OF THE CARTON TO PERMIT PARTIAL BREAKING OF HALF PORTIONS OF THE CARTON AND FOLDING OF THE UNBROKEN REMAINING WALL THEREOF TRANSVERSELY IN HALVES ALONG A LINE COINCIDENT WITH SAID MEDIAL PLANE INTO BACK-TO-BACK RELATION; (D) ONE OF THE ADJOINING WALLS OF THE CARTON BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPTIONAL MANUALLY REMOVABLE PANEL DEFINING A CENTRALLY DISPOSED ELONGATE, SLOT-TYPE DISPENSING APERTURE; (E) SAID STACK OF INTERLEAVED TISSUES BEING POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CARTON FOR INDIVIDUAL DISPENSING EITHER FROM THE UNBROKEN CARTON THROUGH SAID APERTURE OR ALTERNATELY FROM AN EXPOSED ARCUATELY FOLDED PORTION OF THE STACK RESULTING FROM MEDIAL CARTON SEVERANCE AND FOLDING OF SAID HALF PORTIONS IN BACK-TOBACK RELATION; AND (F) A BIFURCATED ELEMENT OF LIGHT-WEIGHT SHEET STOCK LOOSELY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CARTON BETWEEN SAID STACK AND THE ADJOINING WAL HAVING THE LINE OF FRACTURE THEREIN FOR REMOVAL UPON CARTON SEVERANCE INTO HALF PORTIONS TO BE SLIPPED OVER SAID BACK-TO-BACK WALL PORTIONS AND TO BE INTERPOSED BETWEEN ONE SIDE OF THE STACK AND THE JUXTAPOSED SIDEWALLS WITH A PORTION OF SAID ELEMENT EXTENDING INTO EACH OF SAID CARTON PORTIONS FOR LOCKING ENGAGEMENT THEREOF IN AN OPEN POSITION. 